Call to Arms

Ella

I feel the stares from four hockey players peer on me. I can then see out of the corner of my eye Raegan stare me down, while she keeps her eyes on Andrew Shaw, who looks to me like he wants to cry. “Ella…I don’t like the silence,” Emma whispers.

“Neither do I,” I reply.
“And why do you not want us to set this book on fire?” Brandon Saad asks.
“By all means, I’m really really sorry we opened the book,” Andrew Shaw began. “It wasn’t my idea.”
“Bullshit it wasn’t your idea pal,” I begin while keeping my eyes on Jonatahn Toews, who had a tight grip on the book. “Anyways, we want the book.”

It was then Jonathan Toews let out a loud chuckle, while Patrick Kane looked at the book then back at me. I roll my eyes while placing my hands on my hips. I had an hour and fourty-five minutes until the city of Chicago would be unfrozen, this wasn’t funny business in my eyes whats so ever. “Uhm, Ella…I think Captain over here finds this funny,” Kait tells me.

“You want the book? Do you even know what this book contains?” Jonathan asks.
“I do actually, and since you opened it, a crazy ass woman with horns sticking out of her head is going to kill us all for the book, so if I weren you…”
“MALEFICENT!” Patrick Kane yelled.
“Yes, that crazy woman would be her…so if I were you, hand over the book and we’ll take it from here.”
“Uhh dude, just hand her the book, I don’t think she’s lying,” Andrew tells Jonathan.
“First off dude, you wanted us to open the book. Secondly, like that one chick from that one TV show, I can tell when people are lying…she’s lying.”
“Dude, I don’t think your super power is working, just hand her the book.”
“I don’t lie…hand me the book now.”

Jonathan keeps staring at me and it was at the point I knew he wasn’t going to give me the book. I could feel the blood boiling in my veins because I hated being called a liar, especially when I’ve never told a lie once in my life. I let out a sigh as I take one step forward, still keeping my eyes on Jonathan.

“Look, I don’t know you all that well…or at all for that matter, but what I can tell you is this…if you don’t give me that book, all of us maybe dead…I will not hurt you four, in a way, I’m trying to save you four. So if I were you, I would hand over the book…please.”

No one says anything, but I can feel Raegan, Emma, and Kait stare me down. “Shit, that was deep,” Emma says to no one in particular. I look at Jonathan, whose looking at Brandon, Andrew, and Patrick before bringing his eyes back on the book. “Dude, I would hand her the book, I really don’t think she’s lying,” Brandon tells Jonathan.

“Come on guys, lets go burn this thing,” Jonathan finally says.
“That is not a good idea, I really think you need to—“

An explosion from the ground stops me from talking as the four men and the four of us all fall into the center of the hallway. I look up and see Jonathan Toews staring right at me. “Who are you and what the hell was that?” He says as I grab the book.

“My name is Ella and I’m going to save your ass now!” I yell back as the four of us all stand up.
“Well well…”

The four of us all turn around. I felt my eyes widened as I see a woman in black with horns sticking out of her head. She as a staff in one hand, while her other hand is placed properly on her hip. Her green eyes are staring down the four of us and I could feel the tension in the room.

It was Maleficent.

“Ella..is that who I think it is?” Kait asks.
“I thought she was just a fictional character,” Patrick adds.
“It’s been too long since I last saw you Ella,” she begins.
“You know her!?” Andrew yells.
“Sadly,” I reply.

“You look just like your mother…my dear sister and you have your fathers eyes,” she adds.
“Where is my father?” I yell.
“Ohh…don’t worry, he’s in good hands.”
“Ella…isn’t this one of those moments you can use your static shock power?” Raegan asks.
“It may come in handy,” I begin, not keeping my eyes off Maleficent.
“I see these four men opened the book…thank you gentleman for that.”
“Dude, I think we let the devil out,” Brandon says under his breath.
“What do you want?” I yell.

A chuckle comes out of Maleficent as Jonathan Toews stands next to me, keeping his eyes on Maleficent. I don’t look at him, but I can see his jaw grind from the corner of my eye. “I think she wants the book,” Jonathan mumbles to me. I roll my eyes at the comment, still not taking my attention off of Maleficent.

“Well dear…you’re holding what I want…how about you hand it over and I’ll let both your parents go.”
“She’s lying,” Jonathan tells me.
“I know that. The book isn’t the only thing she wants…she wants something else from me.”
“Oh Ella, I think you’re mistaking, your power means nothing to me.”
“Maleficent, you’re not getting the book.”
“Dear, hand it over or everyone you care about dies.”
“You’re going to have to get through me first,” I yell.

With that, I raise one hand and swish it forward, but no static comes out. In fact, nothing happens. I swish my hand again and the same thing was the result. “Ella, where are the lightning bolts from earlier?” Kait asked.

“Lightning bolts? Who the hell are you?” Patrick yells.

With that, Maleficent lets out a laugh. We all look at her, as she sets her staff down. She then shakes her head as everyone stares me down. “Well well…looks like little Ella is in love,” Maleficent begins. I feel my three best friends look at me. There was no way I was in love, no way, shape or form.

“Ella…is there something you’re not telling us?” Kait asks.
“No…at least I don’t think so,” I reply.
“Oh you don’t know? You’re weakness shows when you’re with the one you love…who must be in this room.”

I don’t say anything, because in all honesty, I wasn’t in love with anyone of the men in this room, considering I didn’t know any of them expect for the fact I found Jonathan somewhat attractive, even if he were a stubborn jerk. “You’re still going to have to get through me Maleficent. You’re not getting the book or my power.”

“Very well Ella,” she replies, holding her staff out toward us as we watch it light up.

"Ella, what do we do now?"

My best friend of ten years Raegan asks me, as her, Emma, and Kait stood on one side of me, with Andrew Shaw, Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, and Jonathan Toews on the otherside. I held the book, as we stared at her in the players hallway of the United Center. This was someone we saw in movies as kids, she occasionally popped into our nightmares. The woman with the horns on her head stared directly back at me, as I held on to the book a little tighter. I feel Jonathans stare, as I let out a breath of exhale.

"Raegan...you guys need to run."
“Ella, we’re not going anywhere without you,” Kait tells us.
“Get the four boys to safety, we don’t have time. Find the portal and go through it. I’ll find you guys…and take this,” I tell Kait as I hand her the book.
“Ella, this is mad,” Emma replies.
“RUN NOW!” I yell.

With that, the four begin to run, but Jonathan turns to look at me. I look right back at him, trying to get the shock feeling back in my hands. No, this couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t be falling for this stubborn asshole. “Dude…you’re on my shitlist right now and if I were you, I’d follow them and run,” I tell him.

“Look, I don’t know you, but I’m not leaving you to fight this ugly beast off on your own.”
“You shouldn’t have called me that,” Maleficent begins.
“Huh?”

The next thing I know, Maleficent sent Jonathan flying across the hall and into the wall. “HEY!” I yell, turning around facing Maleficent. I begin running toward her trying to bring that static shock back into my hands but the next thing I knew I was flown into the air and against a wall. I look up after my fall to see Jonathan looking at me. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, you?”
“I’ve had worse.”
“Why didn’t you run?”
“More like why don’t I think before I talk,” he adds.
“Well well, your power doesn’t work around him.”
“Lady, I barely know her,” Jonathan yells.

We both look up as we see the staff being pointed at us. It was at this given moment I wish I weren’t falling for the jerk. “So…am I still on your shitlist?” He asks as we both look up at Maleficent.

“Well well…I have both of you here…now which one to kill first,” she begins.
“Over my dead body,” Jonathan yells.
“Very well then.”
“HEY!”

The next thing I know Jonathan is screaming. I look up as I watch Maleficent carry Jonathan over the city after knocking down a wall. I begin running, wishing I knew I could fly after her. That’s when it happened. I was off the ground, treading air. “Oh my god…” I hear myself yell as I felt the speed in me pick me up to fly after Maleficent. It was when I reached her she stopped to turn and see me.

“Holy shit you fly too?!” Jonathan yelled.
“Put him down now!” I yell.
“Give me your power or he dies.”
“Put him down now!”
“Very well.”

With that, she drops Jonathan as I watch the portal begin to close. I fly as fast as I can to catch up to the screaming hockey player. I grab him and fly up to the portal that was about to close. “Alright dude, hang on tight,” I yell at him as I throw him over my back.

“What, so I’m the damsel in distress now?”
“This is not the time to be a smartass.”
“Where are we even going?”

I don’t say anything as we both turn our heads to see Maleficent in the distance, as the freeze that was on the city was about to come to an end. I look back at the portal, which was starting to close up, then back at Jonathan. “The land I was born in…the enchanted world…hang on Tazer!”

And just like that…we went through the portal.